Greenwich boys defeat Darien 55-44

Scott Ericson

Updated 3:21 pm, Saturday, January 19, 2013

Alex Wolf # 32 of Greenwich grabs a rebound during the boys high school basketball game between Greenwich High School and Darien High School at Greenwich, Friday night, Jan. 18, 2013. At right is Wolf's teammate C.J. Byrd.
Photo: Bob Luckey

At left, George Phillips # 3 of Darien gets his shot blocked by Leonel Hyatt # 54 of Greenwich during the boys high school basketball game between Greenwich High School and Darien High School at Greenwich, Friday night, Jan. 18, 2013.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Darien boys basketball coach Kyle Marian calls timeout during the high school basketball game between Greenwich High School and Darien High School at Greenwich, Friday night, Jan. 18, 2013. At left for Darien is Bobby Fitzpatrick # 5, at right is Ian Burgoyne # 32.
Photo: Bob Luckey

At left, George Phillips # 3 of Darien goes for a block on Alex Wolf of Greenwich during the Boys high school basketball game between Greenwich High School and Darien High School at Greenwich, Friday night, Jan. 18, 2013.
Photo: Bob Luckey

At left, Leonel Hyatt # 54 of Greenwich gets his shot blocked by Chima Azuonwu # 00 during the boys high school basketball game between Greenwich High School and Darien High School at Greenwich, Friday night, Jan. 18, 2013.
Photo: Bob Luckey

At left, Leonel Hyatt # 54 of Greenwich gets his shot blocked by Chima Azuonwu # 00 during the boys high school basketball game between Greenwich High School and Darien High School at Greenwich, Friday night, Jan. 18, 2013.
Photo: Bob Luckey

At right, Matt Staubi # 21 of Darien hits a short jumper over Alex Wolf (left)#32 and Jon Palme # 5, both of Greenwich, during the boys high school basketball game between Greenwich High School and Darien High School at Greenwich, Friday night, Jan. 18, 2013.
Photo: Bob Luckey

At left, Ian Burgoyne #32 of Darien shoots a jumper over Alex Wolf # 32 of Greenwich during the boys high school basketball game between Greenwich High School and Darien High School at Greenwich, Friday night, Jan. 18, 2013.
Photo: Bob Luckey

At left, C.J. Byrd # 2 of Greenwich hits on a jumper from the corner over John Murray # 33 of Darien during the boys high school basketball game between Greenwich High School and Darien High School at Greenwich, Friday night, Jan. 18, 2013.
Photo: Bob Luckey

The Greenwich High School cheerleaders in action during the boys high school basketball game between Greenwich High School and Darien High School at Greenwich, Friday night, Jan. 18, 2013.
Photo: Bob Luckey

At right, Matt Staubi # 21 of Darien passes the ball while being covered by Leonel Hyatt # 54 and Alex Mcurray # 11, both of Greenwich during the boys high school basketball game between Greenwich High School and Darien High School at Greenwich, Friday night, Jan. 18, 2013.
Photo: Bob Luckey

At left, Chima Azounwu # 00 of Darien scores on a layup as Alex Wolf of Greenwich looks on during the boys high school basketball game between Greenwich High School and Darien High School at Greenwich, Friday night, Jan. 18, 2013.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Alex Wolf # 32 of Greenwich goes up to grab the ball as Darien's Matt Staubi # 21 closes in during the boys high school basketball game between Greenwich High School and Darien High School at Greenwich, Friday night, Jan. 18, 2013.
Photo: Bob Luckey

C.J. Byrd of Greenwich scores on an unconteseted layup during the boys high school basketball game between Greenwich High School and Darien High School at Greenwich, Friday night, Jan. 18, 2013.
Photo: Bob Luckey

At left, Jon Palmer # 5 of Greenwich goes to grab the ball out of the hands of Darien's Chima Azuonwu # 00 during the boys high school basketball game between Greenwich High School and Darien High School at Greenwich, Friday night, Jan. 18, 2013.
Photo: Bob Luckey

At left, Liam Naughton # 13 of Darien gets his shot blocked by Jon Palmer # 5 of Greenwich during the boys high school basketball game between Greenwich High School and Darien High School at Greenwich, Friday night, Jan. 18, 2013.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Alex Wolf # 32 of Greenwich scores on a layup during the boys high school basketball game between Greenwich High School and Darien High School at Greenwich, Friday night, Jan. 18, 2013.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Grace Barber, a GHS sophomore, sings the National Anthem prior to the boys high school basketball game between Greenwich High School and Darien High School at Greenwich, Friday night, Jan. 18, 2013.
Photo: Bob Luckey

The Greenwich boys basketball team has been waiting for a balanced scorebook all season. That wait came to an end on Friday against Darien as four players scored in double digits as the Cardinals gained some revenge in a 55-44 win over the Blue Wave.

Darien picked up one of its two wins this season against the Cardinals in the LaVista Tournament in December and that loss was on the minds of the Cardinals, especially CJ Byrd, who missed that game with a fractured hand.

"I didn't get to play last time and this time I wanted to come back and help my team win," Byrd said. "Getting off to a fast start was the key because we knew that if we didn't get off to a fast start, (Matt) Staubi would hurt us and we didn't want that."

Byrd led Greenwich with 14 points, Alex Wolf had 13, Dan Guise 11 and Jimmy Djema 10, giving Greenwich the balance it has been searching for.

Staubi led all scorers with 22 but only scored one point in the second half as Greenwich switched to a zone to contain him.

The Cardinals (6-5) jumped on the Wave (2-8) right away, going up 13-0 before Darien finally scored with 3:10 to play in the first quarter.

The cushion was needed as Staubi woke up at that point, lighting up the Cardinals for 21 points, hitting 3s and driving into the paint for a couple of gentle floaters to get Darien within 28-27 at halftime.

Staubi scored 36 against Greenwich in December, and Greenwich coach Bill Brehm was not going to let him do it again so he switched to a 2-3 zone in the second half after playing man-to-man the entire first half.

"I guess we had to. Nobody could guard Staubi," Brehm said. "The kid is the smallest kid on the court and we can't guard him. We had to (go zone), we had no other choice. I think, to our kids' credit, they played a great 2-3 zone."

The zone did open up Darien big man Chima Azuonwu for some looks in the second half, but Greenwich gladly traded a few layups and a dunk by Azuonwu over Staubi running wild on them again.

Azuonwu scored 12 points, nine in the second half as he battled Wolf all night on the blocks.

Greenwich outscored Darien 16-6 in the third to open up the lead.

Darien coach Kyle Marian thought the offense stalled out with Staubi having trouble creating shots against the zone.

"I thought we got a little stagnant," Marian said. "It is just a matter of guys moving a little more and being available and guys that get shots, have to hit shots. That's how you beat a zone. It was very frustrating. It is things we work on day in and day out, it's just a matter of execution."

The win is the second this week and keeps the Cardinals in the think of the FCIAC playoff hunt as the season nears the midway point with tough games against Norwalk and Harding next week.

"I love the way the league is this year," Brehm said. "It is anybody's league to win. We have some tough games coming up and we had to have both of these especially going into Norwalk, which is playing really tough. It will be a tough one, but I think we can do it."